Need one shoe for everything from dayhikes to dog walks to peakbagging epics? Get the Scree Shield. This rugged low-cut has a simple suede upper that belies its highly evolved innards, which “have so much stability I didn’t need poles even on sloped traverses,” says one tester who used the Scree Shields while hiking the northern AT with a 35-pound pack.

Underfoot, an arch bridge embedded into the triple-density EVA* midsole provides side-to-side support and ensures that heels are perfectly centered in the heel cup. And the low-profile Vibram sole has an asymmetrical, rubber heel strike pad that made these boots stride and rebound like sneakers. “Even after summiting multiple rocky peaks in New Hampshire’s Presidentials, I still had spring in my step,” says one tester. Traction is solid, thanks to mini TPU spikes that extend from the forefoot shock plate through the sole.